Tridentine Mass Responses

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are two more questions on the subject of the extraordinary form of the Mass (known as the “Tridentine” Mass). They were answered by Pope Benedict XVI in his letter to the bishops.

Q. Does this extended permission to use the extraordinary form detract from the authority of the Second Vatican Council?

Answer: No. The Mass as we know it today continues to be the ordinary form of the Mass. The last version of the Mass published under Pope John XXIII in 1962 will now be used as an extraordinary form. It is not appropriate to speak of these two versions of the Roman Missal as if they were “two rites”. Rather, it is a matter of a twofold use of one and the same rite.

Regarding the use of the 1962 Missal, this Missal was never abolished or forbidden. At the time of the introduction of the new Missal in 1970 it did not seem necessary to issue specific norms for the possible use of the earlier Missal. Later, however, it became apparent that a substantial number of people remained strongly attached to this earlier form of the Mass. Some reasons for this attachment arose from the fact that in many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal. A certain “creativity” was in vogue which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear.

Pope John Paul II in 1988 provided guidelines for the use of the 1962 Missal. They were a general appeal to the bishops to respond to the legitimate aspirations of the faithful who requested this usage of the Roman rite. Not only older persons who knew the Mass under the 1962 Missal but also younger persons have discovered this form and felt its attraction. They have found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. Thus the need has arisen for a clearer juridical regulation.

Q. Won’t the wider use of the 1962 Missal lead to divisions within the parish community?

Answer: No. The use of the older Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language; neither of these is found very often. Already from this point of view we can see that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Mass. The two forms of the Mass can be mutually enriching. New saints and some of the new prefaces can and should be inserted in the old Missal. The “Ecclesia Dei” Commission will study the practical possibilities in this regard. The celebration of the Mass according to the Missal of 1970 should begin to demonstrate more and more the sense of the sacred which attracts many people to the former usage. The most sure guarantee that the new Missal can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives. This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Tridentine Mass Insights

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are further questions and answers on the traditional Latin Mass.

Q. What have Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI said about the Tridentine Mass?

Answer: In his 1980 letter to the Bishops on the Holy Eucharist, Pope John Paul II said: "There are also those people who, having been educated on the basis of the old liturgy in Latin, experience the lack of this 'one language', which in all the world was an expression of the unity of the Church and which, through its dignified character, elicited a profound sense of the Eucharistic mystery. It is therefore necessary to show, not only understanding, but also full respect towards these sentiments and desires. As far as possible, these sentiments and desires are to be accommodated."

Then in 1988 the same pope wrote: “Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962.”

In July of the current year Pope Benedict wrote: “It is permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church.” In the same document Pope Benedict states that if there is a “stable group of the faithful” a pastor may provide for the celebration of this “extraordinary form” on Sundays and/or weekdays.

Q. Does this new permission to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass call into question the reforms of the Second Vatican Council?

Answer: No. Pope Benedict calls the traditional Latin Mass the extraordinary form. He recognizes that the ordinary form is the one currently used which was developed after the Second Vatican Council.

Please submit your questions or comments on the use of the traditional Latin Mass to www.sjboc.org.

Christ’s peace to all.


-Fr. Hildebrand

Latin Mass FAQs

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are some FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) regarding the traditional Latin Mass that may help us to understand the recent letter of Pope Benedict which extended wider permission for the celebration of this form of the Mass.

Q. What is the traditional Latin Mass (aka the “Tridentine” Mass)?

Answer: This form of the Mass was originally codified after the Council of Trent (hence the label “Tridentine”) in 1570. It was basically the same form of Mass that had been in use for more than a century. It remained largely unchanged until 1965. After the Second Vatican Council called for a reform of the liturgy, the new rite of Mass that we know today was developed.

Q. What is the difference between the Tridentine Mass and the new rite of Mass?

Answer: While Latin is the original language of both liturgical texts, the older form of Mass was said entirely in Latin while the new missal permits use of the vernacular language; because it called for full, active participation, the use of a local congregation's language became customary.

• With the exception of readings for the feast days of individual saints, the Tridentine Mass has a one-year cycle of Scripture readings. The Vatican II liturgy has a three-year cycle for Sunday readings and a two-year cycle for weekday readings.
  

• The old penitential "prayers at the foot of the altar," recited by priests and other ministers before Mass, were replaced by the penitential rite within the Mass, recited by the entire congregation.
  

• In the Tridentine Mass, the first half of the liturgy was called the Mass of the Catechumens and almost always included a reading from one of the New Testament epistles and from one of the four Gospels. The new Liturgy of the Word, in accordance with ancient church tradition, almost always begins with a passage from the Old Testament, then a New Testament reading and a passage from the Gospel.

• The Liturgy of the Eucharist, formerly called the Mass of the Faithful, begins with the preparation of the gifts. The old offertory prayers were revised in the new liturgy to avoid what some people saw as a duplication of the eucharistic prayers.
  

• Instead of one eucharistic prayer (in the traditional Mass), there are now nine -- four for general Sunday and weekday use, two for Masses focusing on reconciliation and three for Masses with children.

• The new Mass eliminated the recitation at the end of every Mass of what was known as the "last Gospel" the beginning of the Gospel of St. John.

• A priest celebrated the Tridentine Mass facing east, which -- given the layout of most churches -- meant he celebrated with his back to the congregation. Since the promulgation of the Roman Missal, the priest normally faces the congregation.
  

Q. Didn't the Second Vatican Council forbid Latin Masses?

Answer: Not at all. The Council, in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, said: "The use of the Latin language is to be preserved". The Council merely gave permission for the limited introduction of the vernacular (or local language) into certain parts of the Mass when celebrated in public.

More questions about the traditional Mass next week.

Do you have a question about the Mass? Please ask by logging into our parish website www.sjboc.org and submitting your question.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Latin Mass at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

Recently I met with the Pastoral Council and spoke about the interest of some parishioners in the traditional Latin Mass. After I explained the difference between the Mass as we know it today and the earlier form that was in use until 1970, they advised that I should have a meeting with all those interested to explain clearly what the traditional Mass is and how it compares with the newer form. I have therefore set a date, Monday, November 12 at 7PM in the hall for an explanatory meeting.

If you or anyone you know is interested please have them attend this meeting. It will be necessary to have a large and stable group of parishioners who are committed to attending this Mass weekly for us to dedicate a time on Sunday.

Related to this subject of the liturgy, I hope you found Bob Grant’s recent columns on Sacred Music informative. I have asked Bob to collect these articles in a booklet for future reference.

Thank you for your generosity to “Pennies from Heaven” this weekend. Our care for the most vulnerable little humans and their mothers will certainly be rewarded. We look forward to the Marian Days celebrations this week. Let’s make this year’s Rosary procession bigger than ever as we pray for world peace.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand